1. Philippians 3:1-11 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.

2. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – Philippians 3:1-11

3. 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: Philippians 3:1-11

4. 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. Philippians 3:1-11

5. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ Philippians 3:1-11

6. 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Philippians 3:1-11

7. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:1-11

8. To Know Christ and Make Christ Known “I am the resurrection” Philippians 3:1-11

9. To Know Christ is to forget self You will notice that Paul speaks of: You will notice that Paul speaks of: pride of ancestry (v. 5a) pride of ancestry (v. 5a) pride of orthodoxy (v. 5b) pride of orthodoxy (v. 5b) pride of activity (v. 6a) pride of activity (v. 6a) pride of morality (v. 6b) pride of morality (v. 6b) What do you think about those things Paul? They are skubala. They are skubala.

10. What does it mean “to know Christ” It means to know the power of His resurrection. It means to know the power of His resurrection. It is the clarification of the importance of this life and of the body in which we are living. It is the clarification of the importance of this life and of the body in which we are living. It is to know the reality of the life to come. It is to know the reality of the life to come. It is the guarantee that in life and in death and beyond death the presence of the risen Lord is always with us. It is the guarantee that in life and in death and beyond death the presence of the risen Lord is always with us.

11. Knowing Christ’s Resurrection is not knowing history It is to know truth is stronger than falsehood. It is to know truth is stronger than falsehood. It is to know that good is stronger than evil. It is to know that good is stronger than evil. It is to know that love is stronger than hatred. It is to know that love is stronger than hatred. It is to know that life is stronger than death. It is to know that life is stronger than death.

12. It means to know the fellowship of His sufferings. It means to know the fellowship of His sufferings. It means to be so united with Christ that day by day we come more to share in his death, so that finally we share in his Resurrection. It means to be so united with Christ that day by day we come more to share in his death, so that finally we share in his Resurrection.

13. Philip - “the tomb was empty” Because Christ rose from the dead all who are united to Him by faith are secure in their own resurrection and eternal life beyond the grave. Because Christ rose from the dead all who are united to Him by faith are secure in their own resurrection and eternal life beyond the grave. The empty tomb proves that God has justified the believing sinner by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus “was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). The empty tomb proves that God has justified the believing sinner by faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus “was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25).

14. The empty tomb proves that the believer enjoys a vital union with his Savior (Galatians 2:20). The empty tomb proves that the believer enjoys a vital union with his Savior (Galatians 2:20). Because Christ rose from the dead the Holy Spirit now abides in the heart of every believer (John 16:7-16). Because Christ rose from the dead the Holy Spirit now abides in the heart of every believer (John 16:7-16). We know this is true because the resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is God. We know this is true because the resurrection proves that Jesus Christ is God.